Hi! I can't seem to stay away long so here's a new one.
Sorry to those who were interested in Stand In The Rain. It wasn't working for me and I didn't feel like there was much interest. Since I wouldn't be working on it I didn't want to keep it up to lead anyone on that an update may come. I didn't think it would be fair.
So, on with this one!
Happy reading!
"Directions are instructions given to explain how. Direction is a vision offered to explain why."
~Simon Sinek
Derek stepped out of the driver's side door and looked around the neighborhood curiously. It was an older part of the city and the block consisted of tightly lined rows of modest houses, most of which had few upgrades or visible attempts at upkeep. A majority of which had peeling paint, security bars on every window, and patches of dying grass for front yards. It was a clear indication to the struggling lower class that occupied them. The sun dipping below the distant trees briefly distracted him. Its fading light created long shadows and dropped the temperatures drastically. He shivered slightly and debated grabbing his coat from the back seat, but the drive had been longer than expected and he wanted to get the interview over with.
"So, which house is it?" He asked glancing around again.
His question earned a raised brow and stern look from his partner. "I don't know. Why don't you actually look at the address?"
He ignored her and walked around the hood and pretended to know where they were going.
"Wrong way." Emily growled and wrapped her coat tighter around herself. Her irritated words caught Derek's attention.
"Lead the way then." He gestured and bowed slightly adding fuel to her annoyance.
"Not knowing where you are or going isn't a crime, but pretending you've got it all under control is. There's a reason we have GPS."
"Oh, like you've never gotten us lost before. Besides it's the copilots job to navigate."
"You never let me drive, or listen to my directions." Emily responded dryly. She kept her dark eyes on him as she shut the door with a bit more force than necessary.
She was right but he wasn't about to tell her that. He just shrugged and raised his brows before he followed her. As they walked down the street he hoped they were headed to the house with the smoke twirling from its tall chimney. The days were much shorter and they sat on he cusp of winter. The bitter air that stung their faces made it clear that the freezing season was coming sooner than later. He began to regret not taking his coat and the thought of a warm crackling fire sounded more than appealing.
He skipped ahead when he realized which house they were headed to and when he reached the waist high chain linked fence he opened the gate to allow Emily to enter first. She smiled her thanks to the gesture, but swiftly passed him to get to the front door and hopefully inside. Emily waited for Derek to join her before she pressed the doorbell. After the chime had faded the two stood patiently in silence but paid attention to their surroundings. Besides a distant siren causing the neighborhood dogs to howl it was relatively quiet. The sounds of the game show Wheel of Fortune filtered out past the thin walls of the residence, and after a moment of no answer Derek reached around Emily to ring the bell himself.
"Maybe he didn't hear it over the contestant asking for a vowel."
His comment earned a small smile, but Emily stared straight ahead at the door as if it would open if she willed it to. The TV suddenly grew mute and a shuffling of feet caught their attention. There was a pause before the clanking of a chain and clunk of the deadbolt being unlocked was prominent. Slowly the door was cracked and an elderly man with large rimmed glasses peered out to them.
Emily squinted to try and get a better look at him through the white security gate.
"Mr. Lewis?"
"Yes, may I ask who's calling?"
Derek cleared his throat as both Agents pulled their flip wallets out to reveal their credentials. "I'm Agent Morgan and this is Agent Prentiss."
"FBI?" He asked with a twinge of shock.
"We were wondering if Parker Lewis was in?"
"Parker? Nope, but he should be home shortly. He's never late bringing me my dinner."
"When is that?"
"Seven on the dot. He's pretty anal about time and keeping a schedule." He mused, but then paused before he widened the door further. "Is he in some sort of trouble? He's a good boy. Minds really well. Goes to work and when he's not there he's in his room writing away on his novel."
"He's not in trouble, we just need to ask him a few questions." Derek reassured.
"He was at a café where two missing women were last seen. We wanted to ask if there was anything he remembered that day." Emily added.
"Ahh, I see. Well, if you want you can head to his room and wait." He said pointing to the side of the house. "He lives in the room attached to the garage."
"Are you sure?" Emily asked with skepticism.
"It's fine. He'll be here in a short minute. Just head down the driveway and you'll see it. It should be unlocked, I was in there earlier putting his laundry away."
"Thank you, Sir." Derek nodded and looked to his partner to take the lead.
Emily took the cue and turned to step down the few stairs from the porch but stopped to face Derek whispering her concern. "A thirty-five year old that still lives with dad?"
Derek understood where she was coming from but continued to play his role of devil's advocate. "He has nothing more than a minimum wage job, and I could bet he lives here to help take care of his dad. Not all people that live at home are losers, or UnSubs."
Emily began to counter but instead swallowed her words and spun on her heels to move away from him and down the narrow drive. With the growing darkness their surrounding felt claustrophobic. A six-foot brick wall took up their left side and the house stood to their right. Two large windows were evenly spaced on the first half of the house and glowed and flashed with the flickering of the television. There were no lights coming from the back windows as the reached the end of the building. The garage lay straight ahead, its large wooded door was closed and a thick padlock at the lower left corner kept it locked. When the two crossed into the area between the house and garage a motion light clicked on causing a start. Their reflexes sent their hands to their holsters, but when nothing appeared in the flood of light they relaxed and looked around. A small concrete slab separated the front house from the back single room unit. Scattered along the perimeter of both structures were an assortment of flowerpots, but not a single trace of vegetation occupied the dry dirt. A patch of dying grass sat along the furthest wall and a path of flat stepping-stones twisted around the side that lead to the backyard of the property.
They paused in front of the large glass sliding door unsure what the appropriate next step was. The blinds were half drawn revealing the tiny space within. The bathroom light was on and the partially closed door sent a sliver of light across the worn carpet and up and over the neatly made full size bed. It was enough light to see inside but not in clear detail. Before Derek could open the slider Emily rapped a knuckle on the glass.
Derek looked to his partner in confusion. "He said to go in."
"I'm being polite, he may have come home. I'm not barging in on anyone."
The sound of a screen door opening had the two turning in curiosity.
"Don't worry, go on in and get out of this cold." The dad reassured.
Derek gave the brunette a told you so look that she quickly ignored and stepped to the side so he could open the slider. Derek wrapped his hand on the long handle and pulled at the heavy glass. It squeaked and protested as it moved along the old rusted track. Once open the two cautiously entered. Emily found a light switch right away and flipped it to fully illuminate the room. It was small and the epitome of minimalism. The four walls were bare of anything. The bed occupied most of the space with a small dresser next to it and a desk on the farthest wall. The room itself was wrapped in cheap wood paneling and the floor was covered in aged and tattered carpet. Heavy curtains hung on the only window over the desk. They were ill fitted and didn't hang quite right. Minimal light from a neighbor's yard seeped in around the edges and down the center where they weren't quite pulled all the way together.
Derek pushed the bathroom door open and stepped in while Emily made her way to the desk curious to the board propped up against the wall.
"Looks like a story board." She commented to Morgan as he reemerged.
He stepped closer and picked up a notebook that was left open on the desk. "His dad said he was a writer. Must be what he's working on."
She scanned it briefly but key words began to jump out at her. "Wait."
"What is it?"
"This isn't a story."
"It's not?"
"Not a made up one anyway."
Derek set the notebook down and leaned in to read what Emily saw. She didn't hesitate to snatch up the book and skim its contents.
"He's our UnSub." She gasped and let her arm and notebook fall to her side. "I'll call Hotch. You see if we can talk to the dad and wait in the front. Parker can't know we're here."
Derek nodded his agreement and moved to get back outside. Emily glanced around the room again to make sure they had not missed anything. "We need to see what's in that garage." She whispered but knew Derek didn't hear her.
When she stepped back outside Emily stood in the cone of light and dug out her cell phone. She quickly found the Unit Chief's contact and called him. As she waited for Hotch to pick up the line she paced along the edge of the grass and watched Derek open the screen and knock on the door. She looked around again and then at her watch. She suddenly felt immense pressure to get the information across to the team and then for herself to get into the front house. Parker would be home any minute and the last she she wanted was him to be aware that they knew. She would feel better knowing that backup was on the way.
As the Dad opened the door Hotch answered her call. Derek paused and looked back. He gestured for her to follow him, but she threw up a finger and pointed to the phone indicating she'd be right behind him as soon as she finished the call. He smiled and tipped his head in understanding before he stepped over the threshold and disappeared inside.
"What do you have Prentiss?" Hotch asked.
"Parker Lewis is our UnSub." She answered plainly and spoke quickly. "He has a murder board and a journal describing each act in detail."
"Is he there?"
"Not yet. We're going to wait inside with his dad and play it as just a routine possible witness questioning."
"Okay, we're on our way. I'll have the local PD dispatched." There was a brief pause before he spoke up again. Unnatural concern filled his voice. "Prentiss."
"Yes, Sir?"
"Be careful."
"Of course, Sir."
Emily ended the call and tucked her phone back into her pocket. She sucked in a deep breath and released it as she began to move towards the four stairs that led to the back door. Within her first step the single bulb overhead cut out. The sudden darkness startled her and she immediately reached for her gun. Before she had a grip on it strong arms wrapped tightly around her and swung her to the side. She stumbled with the unexpected movement and collided with the brick wall. The impact cut her words for Morgan and her breath hissed from her lips. The attacker continued to charge keeping her unbalanced. With a solid throw he flung her down the narrow side between the back house and the wall dividing the properties. She landed hard and just as she began to gain any control he flipped her over and crawled on top of her. She bucked and squirmed under him, but he held her firmly. She began to call out again when he cocked his fist and punched her in the face. The impact swung her head to the side. In the instant that blood broke through her eyes rolled back and consciousness left her.
He had hit her too hard and silently cursed at himself. It wasn't what he wanted. He knew he had been discovered so he decided that he would take them down instead, but it had to be his way. He wanted her to see him, to live the fear as her life was taken. He looked up when he heard the screen of the back door open. His window was closing fast. He slapped her face and she started to come around. Her eyes fluttered open but were unfocused.
"Come on." He grumbled and slapped her bruising cheek again.
The force and painful contact had been enough to get her attention and her eyes drifted lazily to him. When they made contact her fear was there and he felt the buzz stir in his blood and fill his head. It vanished quickly as her dark orbs flashed anger and defiance to his will. He became confused at the ferocity of her fight. He had not encountered someone with such resolve.
Yet, as much as the challenge excited him the look in her eyes infuriated him. He needed the terror to be all he saw. He reached over and with his hand clenched the slender column of her throat and squeezed just enough to show his dominance. He was determined to show her that her breath and the beating of her heart were under his complete control. She continued to struggle and it left him to force a tighter grip. With her breath raspy and limbs quivering her fight slowly diminished. The high began to fill his head again as he watched the reality of her dire situation fill her features.
He heard the approach of someone and a voice calling out for her. The scraping of boots on the ground echoed in his ears. He could take her then, but something inside him clicked. He didn't want to be done. He wanted more time with her, to savor her final moments. To be able to fully inhale the victorious scent of his ultimate power and her helplessness. He had always had a weakness for brunettes and imagined her on his worktable completely under his control. With his decision made he squeezed tightly again, but only enough to send her back to unconsciousness.
"Prentiss?"
The call again from her partner jump-started him. He needed more of a window to get away. He maneuvered downward and removed her sidearm before he pressed himself against the wall and crouched low. He listened to the approaching steps. She moaned and the footsteps stopped. A burst of adrenaline soared through his veins. He moved to the edge of the house before he rolled around and wildly opened fire into the darkness. His target was hit and fell to the ground. His blood pumped at a mad rate and pulsed in his ears. His excitement level at the highest it's ever been.
He moved back to Emily and knelt down. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered. "I'm Fate. Your thread of life intertwined in my fingers. Forever mine to sever."
She groaned weakly and her eyes fluttered briefly before sealing again. With a smile he leapt forward and vanished into the darkness. He'd be back for her. When she least expected it he'd finish what he started.
Thank you for reading! Please drop me a note to let me know your thoughts!